Shadow Raiders War Planets Season 3
by Elektra1
Summary: SPOILERS for Season 2...
1. Episode 1

_Shadow Raiders - Episode 3.1:_

MADNESS

By: Elektra

**PLANET ROCK**

Lady Jade took her throne and looked over her subjects and their allies, "Now that the Beast Planet is gone, we of planet Rock need not fear anymore! The wars between our planets have ended, and we look towards a bright future with our new allies!" 

Cheering and clapping answered the speech. Jade stood up, and walked back to her quarters, leaving the noise behind her. 

"Your highness," a familiar voice said as she neared her room. She turned to see Graveheart. He knelt respectfully. 

"Get up, you fool!" Jade insisted, "You should know better then to bow to me!" 

Graveheart stood up, "Tell me, highness... would it be inappropriate if a mere Miner asked the Ruler of Planet Rock to spend a nice, quiet evening with him?" 

Jade went up to Graveheart and kissed him, "Does that answer your question?" 

Graveheart smiled, "I guess so. Perhaps our lives can get back to normal now!" 

"Lady Jade..." A female voice interrupted the moment. "May I have a second of your time?" 

Jade turned to the Rock Quarrior that spoke, "Interrupting your ruler while she's sharing a private moment with another is unacceptable!" 

The Quarrior bowed, "Forgive me, your highness. I intended no disrespect." 

"You're forgiven. What is it?" Jade asked. 

"The Ice Princess, Zera, wishes to know when you will provide her with her next battle lesson..." 

"_Zera! I didn't think of her lessons when I accented to the throne_," Jade thought to herself, "Would you take it upon yourself to teach Zera the appropriate lessons?" 

The Rock Quarrior bowed gracefully, "I would be honoured, your highness!" 

***

**PLANET ICE**

Zera looked at the woman in the cell before her. The woman looked extremely distressed, "Hey, little girl! You want to let me out of here?" the woman asked. 

"I am not allowed to..." Zera replied. 

"I NEED TO GET OUT!" The woman screamed. "DO YOU EXPECT ME TO STAY IN HERE FOREVER?!" 

"Ah, such a noisy thing she is! Why you even bother talking to her is beyond me, Ice Princess..." a voice behind her spoke. 

Zera turned to see who it was, "Sternum! You came to see the prisoner too?" 

Sternum looked at the woman in the cell, "No. I came to see what a caged animal looks like..." he replied. 

"Shut up, Sternum! When I get out of here, I will break your bone body in two!!" the woman threatened, and reached a hand through the bars in an attempt to grab him. 

Sternum merely sidestepped the hand, and smiled coldly. "My dear Jewelia... I highly doubt you are even CAPABLE of such a thing!" he replied, then turned back to Zera, "May I ask why _you_ are down here visiting her?" 

"My father told me Jewelia was a fighter on the Prison Planet. I was hoping she could give me a few tips." 

Sternum's deep laugh echoed in the room, "You wish JEWELIA to teach you to fight?? You are taking your life in your hands, Ice child! That woman will KILL you before you even have a chance to defend! Besides, Jade has sent a Quarrior to continue your lessons for her. I suggest you go and meet the lady. She is with your father at the moment in the Ice Palace." 

"You mean, Jade won't be teaching me anymore?" Zera asked. 

"No. It seems her present position does not allow much time to teach a child how to fight." Sternum answered. 

"I am NOT a child!" Zera replied, "And I cannot believe Jade just gave up on me like that!" 

"Do not be so harsh when speaking of Jade! She is the ruler of Planet Rock now! You must accept that!" Sternum replied. 

Zera frowned, "I suppose you are right, but I only wish she could have told me herself!" With that, Zera walked away. 

Sternum was left alone with a caged Jewelia. Jewelia looked at him, pleading, "Sternum! You have to let me out of here!" 

"And why would I have to do that?" 

"Because, I can't stay locked up forever!" She replied. 

"Yes. You can! You are a danger, Jewelia! If the people here knew the real reason you were banished to the prison planet, they would exile you on a nearby moon!" 

Jewelia grew agitated again, "I am INNOCENT!!" She shouted. "INNOCENT! I did NOTHING wrong!!" 

"Yes, well, tell that to those who died because of you!" Sternum replied. 

Jewelia narrowed her eyes, "I broke out of the jail on the Prison Planet! I can break out of this one! You just wait! Just wait and see, Sternum! You WILL get what is coming to you, and I'll be the one to give it to you!" With that, she laughed. A cold, unnerving laugh. 

"You are a disturbed woman, Jewelia! And soon, everyone in this alliance will see that!" 

***

Zera looked at the Quarrior who stood beside her father, "And why did Jade not tell me herself that she would discontinue teaching my lessons?!" she asked. 

"My highness is busy running the planet, Lady Zera..." The Quarrior explained. 

"She is too busy to speak to her FRIENDS?!" Zera asked. "How DARE she! You tell your highness that I wish to see her IMMEDIATELY!" 

"I am afraid you do not have the authority to ask for such a thing," The Quarrior replied. 

"But _I_ do!" King Cryos began. "You will ask Lady Jade that my daughter requests an audience with her - at her discretion of course," 

"Yes, sir..." the Quarrior replied. She gave Cryos a Rock salute, and headed off. 

Cryos looked at his daughter, "Do not harbor such anger for Jade. I understand what it is like to run a planet, Zera. You, too, must understand. It is a great responsibility. Sometimes friendships must take a back seat." 

"But... she could have told me herself..." Zera replied, and headed to her quarters to await Jade's call. 

***

_A laser weapon struck down the woman in front of her. The woman she had relied on all her life. Her mother. The girl looked around her. Fighting everywhere. Death. Violence. WAR. It was so beautiful! _

Her mother was dead, but she didn't care. She had grown numb to the horrors of war. It had happened a while ago, when she had witnessed a Beast drone strike down her little sister. 

Shortly after the incident, Mother had begun to notice something different about her older daughter. Her daughter had become cold, withdrawn, and prone to violent outbursts. 

Her daughter had begun to talk of War. Of DEATH. How glorious it all was! 

Now, her daughter looked over the carnage before her. They were running away. Everyone was running away! Her hand tightened around the cool metal weapon she held. With a cold smile on her black lips, she pulled the trigger. 

Sternum looked at the woman locked up in front of him. She seemed to be staring off into space, "Jewelia?" 

"It was all so glorious! The violence! The Death!" Jewelia said. "All of it was so beautiful!" 

Sternum shook his head, and decided he no longer wanted to be in her company. 

***

"Jade... why did you toss me away like that?" Zera asked the form on the screen in front of her. 

"Zera, I didn't toss you away! I wouldn't do that to you! But, I can't teach you what you need to know right now! Being ruler of Rock takes precedence over everything else," Jade's voice became a tad harsher, "Warriors do not let little things like that hurt their feelings," 

Zera crossed her arms, "My feelings are not hurt! I was just... annoyed... that's all!" she replied. 

Jade nodded slightly, "Follow your new teacher. If she complains to me about you in any way..." Jade let the sentence trail. 

Zera smiled, "I know. I'll hear from you!" 

***

Graveheart entered Cryos's throne room slowly. The Rock Miner had just returned from Planet Rock and, despite the pleasant evening he had shared with Jade, something was weighing heavily on his mind. He had to address it, "King Cryos. I want to talk to you about Jewelia..." he started. 

"Yes, Graveheart. What about her?" Cryos asked. 

"Does she really need to be locked up for so long?" Graveheart replied. 

Another voice answered, "It would be better to kill her. It would be SAFER!" 

Cryos and Graveheart turned to see Sternum, "What do you mean KILL her?" Graveheart demanded. "How could you even THINK--" 

"Listen, Man of Rock!" Sternum interrupted, "Do you know the true reason Jewelia was sent to the prison planet? Do you know anything about her at all... or are you simply swayed by her sweet voice and pleasing looks?" 

"What are you talking about?!" Graveheart demanded. 

Sternum sighed, "You shouldn't be ashamed. I was swayed... once. Then I saw the true ugliness in her!" 

"Ugliness?" Cryos asked. 

"The madness behind her eyes," Sternum answered, "The madness that is the true reason Jewelia was exiled on the prison planet." 

"She said she crashed on the prison planet - like us..." Graveheart explained 

"And you believed her?!" Sternum asked. 

"Is there another story?" Cryos replied. 

Before the question could be answered, however, several warning klaxons began to flash, and a computerized voice echoed throughout the Ice throne room, "Prisoner Escape in Cell Block D. Prisoner Escape in Cell Block D...!" 

Sternum's eyes went wide, "What Cell Block was Jewelia in?!" he asked. 

"Cell Block D!" Cryos gasped. 

"We must find her!" Sternum shouted, "We must find her before she sends MORE innocents to their death!" 

"MORE innocents...?" Cryos asked. 

Sternum shook his head, "No time to explain now!" With that, he ran off to aid the guards in their search. 

***

Jewelia hid in the shadows of the Ice Prison as she watched the guards running around frantically, "I told you I would get out, Sternum! You should know by now that bars can't hold ME!" Her hand tightened on the laser she held. It's previous owner lay unmoving at her feet. It felt good to hold a weapon once more! So good! 

She quickly backed against the wall as she heard footsteps approaching her position. 

Walking a few feet away from her was the Ice girl. With a cold smile, Jewelia lifted her weapon, and took aim. 

[EPISODE TWO][1]

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   [1]: S3ep2.html
   [2]: MainframeFanfic.html



	2. Episode 2

_Shadow Raiders - Episode 3.2:_

HAUNTED BY THE PAST

By: Elektra

**PLANET ICE**

"Just step a bit closer, little girl..." Jewelia said quietly as she crouched behind a wall. She aimed her laser weapon, and fingered the trigger. 

_"Jewel! Come play tag!"_

Jewelia jumped up, "What...?" she looked around. Where did that voice come from? 

_"Come play tag, Jewel! Please?"_

Jewelia spun around, "Who's there?" She said to the voice "Who are you?!" 

_"You promised Mommy you'd play tag with me! Stop flirting with Nickelous!"_

"No..." Jewelia said quietly, "It can't be...!" Jewelia shook her head and gathered her wits about her. She focused once more on her target. Zera. 

_"You told Mommy you'd watch me! You told Mommy you'd play tag with me! But you wanted to play tag with Nickelous instead!"_

"SHUT UP!!" Jewelia screamed, "SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" She closed her eyes for a moment and steadied herself. Then, she smiled. A cold, wicked smile, "You want to play? We'll play!" She heard the familiar sound of energy discharge from the weapon she held, "TAG! YOU'RE IT!" 

***

Zera could sense someone watching her. She figured it had to be Jewelia. Who else would be hiding in the corridors of the prison? Her feeling proved correct when she heard Jewelia screaming something. The sound of laser fire soon followed. 

Zera quickly jumped out of the way when she saw the energy headed towards her. Luckily, Jewelia's aim had been off as well. 

The Ice guards quickly arrived, only to see Jewelia staring off into space, "It got her...!" she shouted, "It got her!" She began to laugh for no apparent reason. 

The guards dragged Jewelia back to her cell with little resistance. 

***

_"You promised Mommy you'd play tag with me! Stop flirting with Nickelous!"_

"Big sister can't play now! When you get a boyfriend you'll understand! I'll play with you later!" Jewelia said, her angry voice echoing in the cell. Her thoughts took a dark turn as she remembered that day. 

If only she hadn't been wasting her time with Nickelous! If only she had been watching Zirconia like her mother had told her to do. If only. 

After a while, she had grown tired of Nickelous, and had decided it was only fair to join her sister in a game of tag. Too little, too late. Her sister had already found someone else to play with. A Beast drone. And the Beast drone was winning. 

She would never forget her sister's scream as the Beast drone caught up with her. 

_TAG! YOU'RE IT!_

Jewelia covered her face as tears flowed freely from her eyes. 

***

"I am glad to find that you have restrained Jewelia once again..." Sternum said to Cryos. "She is a great danger... both to herself and others!" 

"You seem to know quite a bit about her, Sternum. Would you care to explain WHY?" Cryos asked. 

Sternum sighed, "I once followed her," he shook his head. "It is a long story, Ice King. I will tell you later. Right now, I must make sure Jewelia is secure." 

***

Sternum stood outside Jewelia's cell. He hated what she had become! Or perhaps she had always been like that, and he had never noticed. 

Sternum shook his head. He had cared for the woman locked up in front of him - once. He only wished he knew what was going through her mind! Right now, she seemed to be hiding her face. 

"She was killed right in front of me..." Jewelia began, to no one in particular. "I couldn't save her!" Jewelia wiped the tears from her cheek, "But then, I realized how beautiful such a death was!" She straightened up and finally noticed her visitor. She smiled, "And it CAN be beautiful, Sternum!! You could never see that!" 

"I do not WISH to see what you would consider 'beautiful', Jewelia!" Sternum answered. 

Jewelia raised an eyebrow, "But you did... once!" 

"That was before I realized how truly psychotic you were!" 

"Psychotic? Really, Sternum? I'm hardly psychotic!" 

"How many men did you send to their deaths on your home planet?!" Sternum asked, "How many fell victim to your madness, Jewelia?!" 

Jewelia looked at him, eyes narrowed angrily, "You know NOTHING of what happened!" she shouted, "NOTHING! Don't pretend to! They betrayed ME! I repaid them!" 

***

_The Beast drones had attacked Planet Crystal. Jewelia fought back. It had been a few months since Zirconia's death, and she had embraced violence as one would embrace a soul mate. She had gathered a small group of men to aid her in the battle against the Beast. Together, they fired on the drones. The Beast Drones exploded in a flash of beautiful light. _

As she took aim at another drone, a woman ran in front, blinded with fear. Jewelia couldn't stop herself. The rush was too strong! She had to fire! Jewelia's own weapon struck down the woman with a flash of energy. It would serve the woman right for getting in the way... but a few moments later, Jewelia realized who she had struck down. 

"MOTHER!" Jewelia shouted, staring blankly at the woman lying on the ground. After a moment, a small smiled played on her lips, "To go out in a blaze of glory like that! Everyone should have that kind of death". She turned to the men fighting beside her, "Now ADVANCE on them!! Make this battle glorious!" She looked to the Beast drones, and continued her attack. 

"They are too powerful!!" one of her men shouted, "We cannot beat them!" 

"DO IT!" Jewelia shouted. "FIGHT! KILL THEM ALL!" A few others began to follow the first man's lead, and started to back down from the Beast Drones. Jewelia glared at them, "Where are you going?! DON'T LEAVE ME TO FIGHT THEM ALONE!" She screamed, then she grew angry, "BETRAYERS!! If you won't FOLLOW me, then you'll DIE for me!" She shouted, and fired on her own men. 

Planet Crystal sentenced Jewelia to life ... and the BEAST sentenced Planet Crystal to death. 

***

"You KNEW about the Beast?" Sternum asked. 

"It destroyed my sister! It destroyed my Mother... and it destroyed my PLANET!" Jewelia answered. 

"I know nothing of your sister, but your own blind rage destroyed your Mother, Jewelia!" Sternum answered. "Your lust for _violence _destroyed your mother!" 

Jewelia ran up to the bars and grabbed them, "SHUT UP! You know NOTHING of my Mother's death! I didn't MEAN to kill her!" She screamed... then slowly fell to her knees. Her voice became soft, "I didn't mean to kill her..." She looked up at Sternum angrily, eyes wet with unshed tears, "It was the BEAST'S fault!! It made me do it!" 

Sternum nodded his head sadly, "Yes, Jewelia. You keep telling yourself that. Perhaps it is the only thing that keeps you from destroying _yourself_..." 

***

"Cryos," Sternum began as he entered the Ice throne room, "We must gather the alliance together. It is time I told you about the Prison planet!" 

After a few hours, Pyrus, Femur and Graveheart joined Cryos. Jade was on the view screen, "Go ahead, Sternum. Begin." She said. 

"It was Jewelia that orchestrated the break out on the Prison Planet," he began, "We were sick of being tortured, beaten, locked up. I joined her and fought off the guards that tried to stop us. I believed in her ideal... at first," Sternum sighed, "I was once a ruler, and I was willing to do ANYTHING to get my glory back! Jewelia and I were... close. I saw in her a spirit. A fire. Something that I longed for in a companion..." Sternum turned to Jade for a moment, then quickly brought his attention back to the others, "But what I did not see was her madness." 

"Sternum, tell us the real reason Jewelia was imprisoned on the planet," Graveheart said. 

"I knew she had killed others. I did not know the whole story - until a few moments ago. Jewelia has known about the Beast for quite some time. Her planet had been under attack. She fought back. In doing so, she gathered others to aid her. At first, they fought back as well... but when they began to fear for their lives, Jewelia killed them. THAT is why she was sent to the planet." He shook his head, "I am guessing her planet became victim to the Beast soon after ..." 

"And... what else happened on the prison planet?" Cryos asked. 

"We had to get away from the guards. My idea was to simply lock them up as WE had been locked up. Jewelia wanted to kill them. She said if anyone disagreed with her, then they would die too..." Sternum frowned, "I gathered those that would agree with me. We thought if we could talk to Jewelia, she would understand. But Jewelia did not want to talk. Jewelia wanted to fight..." He shook his head, "The guards were killed shortly after. We haven't stopped fighting since." 

"And then _we_ arrived on the scene." Graveheart said. 

Sternum nodded, "You fell victim to Jewelia. She is a very persuasive woman! She knows how to get people to bow to her whim. Those who do not bow are quickly destroyed. I am only grateful you saw that... before YOU were destroyed." 

***

Jewelia sat in her cell. No one was around. She was grateful. She thought of the Beast. Of their power. The Beast may have cost her her family and her planet... but she admired them. They lived by the same rules she did. If you can't rule them, KILL them! 

***

**BEAST PLANET**

Lamprey had been punished by The Beast for her failure. How DARE she allow the small alliance to slip through her fingers! Blokk had failed, and had died for it. She wasn't going to suffer the same fate. She would give the Beast the planet cluster, if it was the last thing she did. 

[EPISODE THREE][1]

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   [1]: S3ep3.html
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	3. Episode 3

_Shadow Raiders - Episode 3.3:_

HIDE AND SEEK

By: Elektra

**BEAST PLANET**

Lamprey knelt before Voyd, "I will find the planet cluster! I will then hand feed all the planets to the BEAST! Tell it that. I will not let it down like Blokk did!" 

Voyd said nothing, and disappeared. 

Lamprey stood up and looked at the star map on the screen in front of her, "I will find them!" she began, "I only need to home in on one person! The one that I can still sense in my mind! The one that enters my dreams and haunt my nightmares. Tekla! You will die with your alliance friends!" Lamprey sat down on the seat in front of the console and set about her task. 

She concentrated and reached out with her mind. 

***

**PLANET ICE**

Tekla quickly looked up from her work, "Hello?" she called out to the empty room. No answer. She expected none, but could not ignore the strange sensation that she was not alone. "Perhaps I need to recharge..." she said. 

"Energy levels normal," Vox replied. 

"Thank you, Vox..." Tekla answered, then furrowed her brow, "But why do I still have this strange feeling that I am not alone?!" She shook her head, and turned back to the mess of wires and metal on the table before her. 

"_Tekla..._" 

Tekla jumped up, "Who is there?!" she called out. Silence. She put a hand to her head, "Vox! Full diagnostic!" 

Vox beeped for a few moments, "Energy levels normal. Temperature normal. Strength normal---" 

"Is there anything NOT normal?!" Tekla interrupted. 

"All Princess Tekla's systems functioning within normal parameters." Vox answered. 

"I'm starting to wonder about my mental capacity..." Tekla muttered. 

"Mental capacity normal..." 

"Thank you, Vox! You can stop now." Tekla shook her head, "I need a break..." and with that, she walked out. 

***

**PLANET ROCK**

"Hello, Jade. How are you?" Tekla asked the ruler of Planet Rock. She had decided to pay a visit to the not-so-busy ruler. 

"All is fine here..." Jade replied, then sighed. 

"You sound distressed, Jade. What is wrong? The Planet cluster is at peace!" Tekla answered. 

"Yes. Peace." Jade shook her head, "It is boring..." 

"Surely you would not wish war again!" Tekla began. 

"NO! I am glad our planets are at peace... but as ruler of Planet Rock, there is really not much else to do except pass new by-laws about things I have no interest in." 

Tekla let out a small laugh, "Understandable. If you wish, I can tell you about the new device I'm building..." Tekla began. 

"I have no interest in _that_ either..." Jade replied. 

"Sorry... I---" Tekla stopped, and turned around. She looked behind her... then turned back to Jade, confused. 

"Tekla? What's wrong?" 

"I don't know. I just felt that someone was..." she shook her head, "Perhaps I DO need to recharge...." 

"Princess Tekla's energy levels normal..." Vox reminded her. 

Tekla shook her head, "They may be Vox, but... I am not feeling well..." 

"Princess Tekla's systems functioning within normal parameters," Vox repeated. 

"I don't CARE! I AM NOT WELL!" Tekla snapped, and was shocked to find herself losing her temper at Vox. 

Jade looked at Tekla, "Perhaps you SHOULD rest. You're acting strange..." 

"Forgive me, Jade...!" Tekla looked at Jade's uniform, "Or should I say LADY Jade." 

Jade furrowed her brow, "Since when do you address me by my full rank?" 

Tekla shook her head, "I don't know... I just..." she stopped, "I must go. Good bye..." and with that, Tekla left. 

***

**BEAST PLANET**

"Lady Jade!" Lamprey began, "Where are you, Lady Jade? Where are you, so I can lead the Beast to you!" Lamprey smiled, "Soon you will feel the wrath of the Beast. It was a good trick the alliance played on us with the Prison Planet... but it was all for naught! That planet is part of us now! The Beast enjoyed devouring it!" 

Lamprey scanned a few different star systems, "Now, Alliance... come out come out wherever you are...!" 

***

**PLANET ICE**

Tekla made herself comfortable on the couch in the Ice Palace lounge. She closed her eyes and rested. She still felt another presence. 

"Hey, babe! Mind if I join ya?" a voice began. 

Tekla threw her eyes open, and saw Femur, "What are you doing here, Femur?" she asked. 

Femur shrugged, "It's an open room, toots. If you wanted to be alone, why didn't you go to your quarters. 

"Why aren't you on Planet Bone?" she asked. 

"Because... Sternum is there..." Femur began, and shivered. 

"You're afraid of your own brother?" Tekla asked. 

"Hey! You never know! He could kill me at a moment's notice!" Then he frowned, "And I'm sure Pelvus would help him!" He looked at Tekla, "You look stressed, babe. Wanna tell me the story?" he asked. Tekla sat up, and Femur quickly made himself comfortable beside her, "Go on, I'm listening..." he said, and smiled. 

Tekla sighed, and explained, "Lately, I have been feeling that someone is watching me..." 

Femur raised his eyebrows, "You got a loose wire somewhere, toots?" he asked. 

"No, Femur. I do not!" She shook her head, "Never mind. I will go to my quarters and rest there..." 

***

Tekla made herself comfortable in her stasis pod, and closed eyes. She let her mind wander. It wandered far out into space. Stars began to take form. She was floating. She felt herself being pulled farther and farther away. 

Tekla saw the Planet Cluster before her from the outer regions of space. She looked at the stars and constellations. 

"_Tekla..."_ A voice whispered. She spun towards the voice in her dream, and came face to face with her worst enemy. 

Tekla bolted upright in her stasis pod, "LAMPREY!" 

***

**BEAST PLANET**

Lamprey's eyes opened, and she smiled. Her eyes focused on the star map in front of her... at a specific section of space. Lamprey smiled, "Thank you, Tekla! The Beast will be there soon!!" 

***

**PLANET ICE**

Tekla ran to King Cryos's throne room, "Gather everyone together!! It's coming!" 

Cryos looked at her, confused, "Coming? Who is coming!?" 

"The BEAST planet! It's coming!" 

"Calm down, Tekla! The Beast planet is gone!" Cryos explained. 

"No it's not! They found us! LAMPREY found us!" 

"How could Lamprey find us?!" Cryos asked. 

"Through ME! We are still connected! She found me... and found the Alliance!" 

"The Beast Planet was teleported away by the Prison Planet! Who knows where they are now!" 

Tekla went up to him, "Don't you understand? They found us!! They're on their way!! King Cryos, you MUST listen to me!!" 

"Calm, Princess. I will gather the others. We will discuss the matter," 

***

"And you say she entered your mind? You saw her?" Graveheart asked. 

"Yes... and now Lamprey knows where we are. Soon the Beast will come!" Tekla answered. 

"Quick! We have to gather our forces!" Graveheart commanded. 

"Wait... Tekla... do you know WHEN it is coming?" Cryos asked. 

"No. I don't know how far away they are!" 

"Is there a way you can find out? If Lamprey could find OUR location, surely you can find HERS!" 

"I will try, Cryos. But I must be at rest to do so..." With that, Tekla left the room and headed to her quarters. 

***

Tekla closed her eyes, and thought of Lamprey. Again, she felt as if she were floating. _"Where are you, Lamprey?"_ Tekla saw the stars and constellations from the outer regions of space. There, in the middle of a star cluster, stood the Beast Planet. 

_Lamprey... I found you..._

***

**BEAST PLANET**

Lamprey opened her eyes quickly, "Tekla!! NO!" She stood up. "She found us! She knows where we are!" She collapsed to her knees, "The Beast will punish me for this!" 

***

**PLANET ICE**

"I know where they are!" Tekla said as she came upon the rest of the alliance. "At their current speed, the Beast will arrive in 3 months." 

"Is there any way to stop it?" Jade asked. "Throw it off course?" 

Tekla shook her head, "It knows where we are. Even if we bring the world engines online at maximum speed, we would not be able to out run it," 

"Then... it is inevitable. We will meet up the Beast once more..." Cryos began, "But this time, we will be ready for it! We will no longer be food to a hungry predator! It is time to end it, once and for all!" 

[EPISODE FOUR][1]

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   [1]: S3ep4.html
   [2]: MainframeFanfic.html



	4. Episode 4

_Shadow Raiders - Episode 3.4:_

MYSTERIES REVEALED

By: Elektra

**PLANET ICE**

Zera looked at the large world engine in front of her. If only she could decipher the writing on the walls. She was sure it had to tell a tale. 

"I wish I knew what it said..." a voice spoke behind her. Zera turned around to see Pyrus. 

"You read my mind," she looked back at the hieroglyphics, "Will we ever find out?" 

Pyrus shook his head, "I don't think so. It'll remain one of the Mysteries of our planets," 

***

**PLANET SAND**

Zuma looked at the hieroglyphics on the World Engines. She sensed that they told a story. A sad, heartbreaking story of a species last hope. A hope that was sent into the distant regions of space with a wish to bring the species back to the glory it once had. 

Unfortunately, Zuma also sensed that such a wish was not to be granted. 

***

**PLANET ICE**

The Alliance met to discuss the return of the Beast. What were they to do? How could they defeat such a powerful entity? 

"If only we knew it's weaknesses! We used everything we've got, and it still kept on coming! Our weapons were no use," Graveheart began. 

"The Worlds need to come together." Zuma said. 

Ramset looked at her, "What are you talking about, Sand creature? The Alliance is ALREADY working together..!" 

Zuma shook her head, "No. That is not what I meant. What I meant was..." she paused, "It is difficult to explain. It is revealed in the writing on the world engines." 

Cryos looked at Zuma, "You can read the hieroglyphics?!" he asked. "Why did you not tell us this before?!" 

She shook her head, "It is not that I can read the hieroglyphics, it is that I can SENSE the story. A sad story is written on those walls. But I have not been able to decipher exactly what that story is," Zuma explained. "I just know that the worlds must come together." 

Cryos looked at those gathered in front of him, "I suggest that each planet get their best linguists to decipher what is written on the world engines. The answer may be in there. It HAS to be! Perhaps with the knowledge written within those walls, we will know how to finally destroy the Beast!" The other leaders agreed, "And perhaps we will also find out exatly WHO created our world engines as well!" 

***

**PLANET ROCK**

The Rock linguist looked at the marks on the world engine, "This could mean turn away...? Turn against? Betrayal? Yes. Betrayal." 

**PLANET ICE**

"Destruction," The Ice linguist explained, "Something about the destruction of a world..." 

**PLANET BONE **

"Machines attacked," the Bone linguist shook his head, "What machines?? What did they attack?" 

**PLANET SAND**

Zuma looked at the hieroglyphics before her, "My kindred..." she began to the other Sand creatures gathered around her, "There is a way to decipher this... without the need of linguists." She shook her head, "But it will be painful... for all of us!" 

***

**PLANET ICE**

The Alliance sat in the meeting room on Planet Ice. Cryos spoke to them, "I am afraid that our attempts to decipher the writing on the world engines have failed. At most, we have been able to understand a few words here and there... but as for making any sense of it," he shook his head. "I would continue the effort, but we need to plan for the return of the Beast. I am afraid we will never find out the message our ancestors left for us..." 

"It was not our ancestors that left the message, King Cryos..." Zuma began. 

Cryos looked at her, "What do you mean?" 

"The heiroglyphics on the world engines are written in the same language on all planets. Surely our ancestors did not share the same language." Zuma explained. 

"Then what are you saying, Zuma?" King Cryos asked. 

"What I am saying is that the world engines were created by another species all together. A species that existed long before our planets were created!" 

A gasp of disbelief rose up from those assembled, "You are talking crazy, Zuma!" Lady Jade said. 

"Come now, Zuma!! Surely you know the Sun people were the first intelligent life!" Ramset insisted. 

Femur turned to Pelvus, "Another species, eh? Think there were any hot babes that long ago?" 

"FEMUR!" Tekla snapped. 

Femur shrugged innocently, "Just wondering!" 

Tekla shook her head, "It is an interesting theory, Zuma. But one I am reluctant to believe... unless you know something we do not." 

"You haven't been keeping anything from us, have you Zuma?! We need to know." Cryos began. 

Everyone started talking at once. 

"Guys! Woah! Wait... calm down here! Let Zuma explain!!" Pyrus said, raising his voice above the others. He turned to Zuma, "Do you really think there was another species that existed before WE did, Zuma??" Pyrus asked with a smile. The Fire Prince seemed to be the only one excited about the prospect that another species lived long ago. 

"That is my theory, young prince," Zuma replied. She turned to the rest of the alliance, "I have spoken to my kindred. We may have found a way to decipher the WHOLE story... but to do so, you must all gather on Planet Sand. We will try to find out the truth. We will try to find out what happened so very long ago!" 

***

**PLANET SAND**

The Kindred of Planet Sand created a circle around the engines, and held hands. Zuma sat in the middle of the circle. Slowly, she reached out... and touched the hieroglyphics. 

The rest of the Alliance watched with baited breath. What mysteries would be revealed? 

Suddenly, energy poured forth from every part Zuma's body and created solid beams of energy. The beams came outward from her body, and connected with her kindred. 

One kindred spoke, "_We, the inhabitants of Earth, have sent out our last hope - the last pieces of our world._" 

The Alliance gathered on Planet Sand began to see the story take place in their minds. An image of a beautiful blue planet. Humanoid creatures of different skin colour, sharing the same basic traits. 

Another kindred spoke, "_Each piece has a world engine. The technology used to create these world engines came at a great price, for it is this very technology that destroyed us._" 

A third, "_Use this power in peace, and do not be lead astray by technology. Continue to live as you do now, for it is the will to live that will be your salvation._" 

A fourth, "_We pray that the pieces unite. For only when the pieces of our world unite will the machines be destroyed_." 

A fifth, "_Our story is a sad one, for it was US that had created the means of our own destruction. WE created the machines. They were to be our salvation! To help us._" 

The Alliance members could see the machines the humans had built. At first, the machines were small. They sat on desks and tables. Soon, however, bigger, more important machines were built. 

A sixth kindred spoke, "_Soon, though, we found the small machines too slow. Too stupid._" 

A seventh, "_In our quest to out do ourselves, we created artificial intelligence. An intelligence to be slave to our whims,_" 

The Alliance members began to see bizarre humanoids roaming the planet. Humanoids made simply of wires and metal. 

An eighth kindred spoke, "_But we soon became slave to THEIR whims. The Artificials grew. They learned. They surpassed their programming. They betrayed us_." 

The Alliance bore witness to the artificial humanoids striking down their creators. 

Finally, Zuma spoke, "_We did not realize how much they had grown and learnt until we saw the Monster they had created. A machine the size of our own planet._" 

Suddenly, the Beast Planet took form in everyone's mind. It began attacking the beautiful blue planet. 

Zuma continued, "_As we, the final survivors of Planet Earth, write this story, the Monster machine has decided that WE are the ones that are too slow. WE are the ones that are too stupid. The Monster machine has decided that Earth is no longer deserving of life. That its inhabitants are no longer deserving...._" Zuma stopped for a moment. She seemed to be in distress. 

All the Alliance members began to see what had distressed Zuma so. The Beast planet devouring Earth -- from the Earth species point of view. 

"Zuma! Please! You have to continue with the translation!" Cryos pleaded, and tried to block out the horrible images. 

Zuma closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. She continued, "_As our final hope, we have sent out the last pieces of our planet - pieces we named Rock, Fire, Ice, Bone, Tek, Water, Sand, Crystal, and Reptizar. All the pieces must fit into place. Only then will the Monster machine be destroyed._" 

Suddenly, the energy pouring forth from Zuma disappeared, and all the kindred collapsed. 

The images vanished from everyone's mind. 

"ZUMA? KINDRED?" Graveheart called out. 

Zuma slowly righted herself, "We are fine, Rock man. We are merely just exhausted." 

Graveheart nodded, "Good. I'm glad you're all right," then he smiled, "Had me worried there for a moment!" 

"Forgive me for getting back to the business at hand..." Cryos interrupted, "But regarding what the Earth people last wrote - _All the pieces must fit into place. Only then will the Monster machine be destroyed..._" 

Graveheart looked at him, "Yes. What about it, Cryos...?" 

Cryos looked solemn, "What are we to do if all the pieces no longer exist?" 

[EPISODE FIVE][1]

[Go back to the fanfic page][2]

   [1]: S3ep5.html
   [2]: MainframeFanfic.html



	5. Episode 5

_Shadow Raiders - Episode 3.5:_

TRUSTING THE WOLF

By: Elektra

**BEAST PLANET**

Lamprey knelt before the Beast, "Forgive me, my master. I did not realize the mind link would work both ways. I did not realize Princess Tekla would be able to sense MY whereabouts as well." 

The Beast leaned forward. It sat in shadows. Lamprey had yet to see it's face, "Your mistake cannot be forgiven, servant." It spoke. Its voice was painful to hear. It was not one singular voice. It was not a male voice, nor a female voice. It was an unemotional voice. No. It was MANY unemotional voices. 

Lamprey dreaded the punishment it would dish out. Perhaps it would finally kill her! But then death would be too easy an escape. She could only WISH it would kill her. The alternative was too painful to bear. "Please, Master... show me mercy." Lamprey began. 

"You ask us to show mercy? We have not the capability of such a thing, servant." 

Lamprey closed her eyes, and waited for her punishment. 

Her tormented screams echoed throughout the Beast planet. 

***

**PLANET ICE**

"It's coming, isn't it?" Jewelia asked Sternum as she watched him from behind the bars, "It's coming to kill us all!" she laughed, "How wonderful!" 

"You revel in the destruction of others? Of YOURSELF?" Sternum asked, incensed. 

"That's what you could never see, Sternum! The beauty of---" 

"Stop this madness, Jewelia!" Sternum interrupted. He shook his head, "I do not understand why I cared for you once." 

"The same reason you cared for the Rock Queen once," Jewelia answered, "She is a lot like me, isn't she, Sternum?" 

"No, Jewelia. She is SANE! Unlike you." Sternum answered. 

"And she is spoken for... unlike me," Jewelia answered with a sly grin. Sternum walked up to the bars. He reached his hand through and grabbed her wrists, "Oh Sternum! I didn't realize you still cared-" she smiled. 

Sternum let go of her wrists and stepped away, "I don't..." 

Jewelia looked down at her wrists, only to see them shackled, "You sneaky TOAD!" Jewelia hissed, "How DARE you!" 

"It was Graveheart's idea. He wants to free you for a little while. He feels you might be useful in the battle against the Beast," 

Jewelia held up her shackled wrists, "Like THIS?" she asked. 

"You are to be restrained... for now." Sternum answered. He motioned to one of the Ice guards. 

The guard shook his head and slowly unlocked the cell door, "Graveheart is committing suicide by setting her free..." he muttered. 

"That is GRAVEHEART'S decision, not YOURS!" Sternum replied. The Ice guard opened the cell door and backed away. Before Jewelia could run, Sternum grabbed her, "Come now, my dear... we are going to talk to our friends," 

Sternum dragged a swearing, struggling Jewelia to the Alliance meeting room. 

***

Jewelia was forced to sit beside Sternum as the Alliance gathered, "Now, Jewelia... we freed you because we thought you'd be useful to us in fighting the Beast. We know it's as much _your_ enemy as it is ours." Graveheart began. 

Jewelia said nothing. 

"Listen, Crystal witch! Either you agree to help us, or you can rot in prison for the rest of your miserable life!" Jade snapped. 

Jewelia smiled slyly, "You ARE my type..." and laughed, "Or... are you more Sternum's type?" 

Jade shook her head, exasperated. Sternum did not look amused. 

"Ok... enough petty bickering!" Cryos spoke, "It is YOUR life on the line too, Jewelia!" 

Jewelia shrugged, "Then I have no choice, do I?" She smiled, "Think you can take these off...?" she looked at Graveheart, "Unless, of course, you like that kind of thing..." 

Femur raised his eyebrows, "Wow... sounds like MY kinda woman!" 

"Shut up, toad!". Jade and Jewelia both replied. 

***

**BEAST PLANET**

Lamprey lay in her quarters. She silently cursed the Beast and it's heartlessness... but then put the blame solely on herself. If she hadn't let it down, it would not have punished her! No. It wasn't HER fault. It was TEKLA'S fault! If TEKLA hadn't caused the problem in the first place, then Lamprey would have never been punished. 

Just one more week. One more week and they'd be upon the Alliance. THEN she could show the Beast her loyalty! Show the Beast her competence. 

"_They will pay for all the punishment I have had to endure at the hands of the Beast._" She thought, "_The Alliance won't know what hit them!_" 

***

**PLANET ROCK**

"You know how to pilot an Arrowhead, don't you, Jewelia?" Sternum asked as they sat in one of Planet Rock's Arrowhead Assault Vehicles. "You have stolen enough from the Prison Planet guards!" 

"YES, I know how to pilot one of these things!" Jewelia hissed. "But why are YOU here watching over me?" 

"Because I am the only one who can keep you under control!" Sternum replied. 

Jewelia laughed, "You didn't show much control on the Prison Planet, did you?!" 

"But then you are forgetting... you had 80 men to back you up. But one on one, I can DEFINETLY handle you!" Sternum answered. 

Jewelia scowled, "Fine! But don't get in my way!" 

"Oh, I PLAN to get in the way, my dear Jewelia!" Sternum replied. "I plan to get in the way of any OTHER motives you may have floating around in that deranged mind of yours!" 

***

**BEAST PLANET**

Lamprey directed the Beast to where the Alliance was hiding after she had recovered. It did not offer her congratulations or a thank you. But then, it never did. It merely allowed her a break from punishment - THAT was her reward. 

***

**PLANET ROCK - ARROWHEAD DOCKING BAYS**

"How are things going with Jewelia?" Graveheart asked Sternum as he watched Jewelia being led off to her 'quarters' - the nearest Prison. It was more convenient to keep her locked up on planet Rock for now. 

"I do not know if we can trust her! I will stay with her when she is not locked up. I will make sure she doesn't turn on us. Hopefully she is smart enough to realize this is more important then a petty rivalry." 

Graveheart nodded, "I think she is. If we show her trust, she'll return it." 

Sternum raised an eyebrow, "I would not be too sure of that, Rock man." He shook his head, "I hope you know what you are doing. For if Jewelia turns on us, it could leave an opening for the Beast - and lead to our destruction," 

***

** ONE WEEK LATER**

The shadow of the Beast planet loomed over the Planets of the Alliance. It was here. Now, the real battle was about to begin. 

[EPISODE SIX][1]

[Go back to the fanfic page][2]

   [1]: S3ep6.html
   [2]: MainframeFanfic.html



	6. Episode 6

_Shadow Raiders - Episode 3.6:_

WHAT LAYS WITHIN THE BEAST?

By: Elektra

The dark regions of space lit up with battle. The Beast Planet loomed ominously in front of the smaller Alliance ships. Fire was sent, and returned. The Beast Armada came from all sides. How much longer could the Alliance keep this up? They were sadly out-manned, and out gunned. 

"This is crazy!" Jade shouted as she stood on the bridge of Planet Rock's flagship, the Lodestone. "We have tried this before! We can't get through its shields!" 

_All the pieces must fit into place. Only then will the Monster machine be destroyed._

The last words of the Earth people returned to haunt her. "All the pieces must fit into place..." she said. 

"What was that, Jade?" Graveheart spoke through the screen in front of her. He was piloting an Arrowhead. 

"What the Earth people said. About the pieces fitting together..." Jade explained, "What did they mean?" 

"Perhaps..." Tekla began, speaking through the monitor on the Aurora. She stopped as she thought about the words. 

"Perhaps WHAT?" Jade asked. 

"Perhaps... we should take what they say at face value." Tekla answered. 

***

"Oooooh... this is FUN!!" Jewelia said as she shot down Beast Marauder after Beast Marauder, dodging left and right. 

"Jewelia!! Watch where you are piloting! If you collide with one of the Tachyon Marauders you will destroy US as well!!" Sternum snapped as he sat beside her in the Rock shuttle. "They are made of NULL matter!" 

"I know that, Sternum!! Are you questioning my piloting skills?" 

A voice spoke through the speakers, "Hey, Jewelia... we're watching your back and all... but you can't pilot the way you've been doing! It's CRAZY!" Pyrus spoke. "You're all over the place!" 

"And I haven't been hit yet, Fire brat! So SHUT UP!" Jewelia replied. 

"We should have kept her locked up!" Jade could be heard muttering through the comm system. 

"Who asked _you_, Rock witch?!" Jewelia snapped. 

"Enough!" Cryos raised his voice through the comm speakers, "We do not have time for this!" 

"Tell me, Ice King... has anyone gone inside the Beast planet?!" Jewelia asked. 

"Inside the Beast Planet? Are you mad?" Cryos asked. 

"Yes... she is..." Sternum replied. 

Cryos cleared his throat, "Well... to answer your question, Jewelia. No. It devours planets. No survivors return to tell the tale." 

"Then perhaps we should go see for ourselves exactly what is INSIDE the Beast Planet!" Jewelia answered. 

"What are you talking about?" Sternum asked. 

"Look... the claw is wide open! A small shuttle could sneak in and ---" Jewelia began. 

"You ARE mad!! We would be KILLED!" Sternum interrupted. 

"We'll see..." Jewelia replied, and turned the shuttle at full speed towards the outreaching claw of the Beast Planet. 

***

"What is she DOING?!" Pyrus gasped as he saw Jewelia break from formation and head, full speed, towards the Beast Planet. "JEWELIA!" he called through the comm system, "Get back! You'll get fried!" 

"I told you to shut up, Fire brat! I know what I'm doing!" Jewelia responded through the speakers. 

He could hear Sternum arguing with her and the sounds of a struggle. He saw Jewelia's Arrowhead go backwards, forwards, left, right. Sternum was fighting for control. Jewelia wasn't letting up. 

"They're going to die...!" Femur spoke through the comm. "They're both gonna die... oh well... can't say I'll miss Sternum too much..." 

"FEMUR!" Pyrus snapped. 

"What?" Femur sounded innocent. 

"I'm going after them!!" Graveheart spoke through the comm. 

"No you're not!" Jade replied, her angry voice booming through the speakers, "That is an order from your ruler! You are to stay where you are, Graveheart! I will not let you follow that mad woman on a suicide mission!" 

***

In Jewelia's Arrowhead, Sternum fought for the steering controls. It was all in vain. She would not relinquish them. It was all he could do not to scream when they entered the black heart of the Beast planet. 

***

"By the great glacier...!" Cryos gasped, "They're gone!" 

***

Sternum and Jewelia found themselves surrounded by blackness. All was quiet. All was still. The Arrowhead had stopped moving. 

After a few moments, Sternum spoke, "Jewelia! What have you done?!" 

"We're on solid ground..." Jewelia replied. "I felt the Arrowhead land. Perhaps I should go out and see..." 

"See WHAT?" Sternum replied, "It is pitch black!" 

Jewelia laughed coldly, "If it weren't for our past, I would say this is romantic..." 

Sternum heard the sounds of her ruffling through something. A bag? Suddenly, a bright light blinded him, "WHAT IS THAT?!" he shouted. 

"A flashlight!" Jewelia answered. "Surely you've seen one of these before, haven't you Sternum?!" 

"Get it out of my face!" he replied. 

"Hmmm... let's see what else is in the emergency supplies on this nice little shuttle." She used the flashlight to rummage through the various bags in the back of the craft, "Food. Water. Batteries. First Aid. Interesting." Jewelia turned away from the bags and opened the shuttle door. 

"Where are you going?" Sternum asked. 

"I'm going for a walk. Care to join me?!" She replied. "Or are you scared of the dark?" Sternum frowned, and watched Jewelia stepped out of the craft. He reluctantly followed her. "Now there has to be a light here somewhere..." Jewelia said as she scanned the area with her flashlight. 

Through the shadows, Sternum could see large walls on either side of the chamber they were in. "It would be interesting to see what this place looks like," he said. 

"I think I found something..." Jewelia said. A large crank was on the wall in front of her. The crank was a good 5 feet wide and 5 feet high, "Help me with this, Sternum!" she demanded. 

Sternum sighed, and joined her. Together they tried to turn the crank. Slowly, the area became illuminated. 

Sternum looked around the chamber. The walls that lined the room had small glass windows. He went up to closest one and looked through the glass. What he saw almost stopped his heart ... for through that small glass window, he found himself looking into a world... no... a PLANET. A DEAD planet. 

The Planet was like a picture... only life sized. He could see the terrain of the Planet - what was left of it. If only there was a door, he could very well find himself ON the planet. 

Sternum shook his head, and backed away, "I cannot believe it!" 

"What did you find?" Jewelia asked him. 

Sternum said nothing, and simply stood wide-eyed, shaking his head. 

"Answer me, Sternum! What did you find?!" Jewelia demanded. 

Sternum turned to her slowly, still unable to believe what he had seen, "I found..." he started, then closed his eyes, "I found what is left of Planet Fire!" 

***

"I can't believe she did that!" Graveheart said. "She went INTO the Beast Planet!" 

He could hear similar statements through the speakers on the Arrowhead. "That's it. She's dead. They're both dead..." Femur said. 

"She was mad! It is only a shame that she had to drag Sternum down with her. He was a good man..." Cryos said. 

"Oh yeah... a REAL good man..." Femur replied sarcastically. 

"Femur!" Pyrus spoke, "Show some respect!" 

"Enough!! Do we dare follow her?" Tekla asked. 

"Are you crazy, woman?? And suffer the same fate? NO!" Jade replied. 

Everyone was so busy talking at once that they didn't notice the Beast Armada powering up. 

***

"Let me see!!" Jewelia said, and pushed Sternum out of the way. She looked through the window. Yes. It was Planet Fire all right - but black. Burnt. Spent. The fires no longer flourished. The lava lakes had turned into null energy. The ground split in several places, and any buildings that had once been standing were now only pieces of brick and mortar. 

Sternum looked down the large corridor of the area they were in. More walls. More windows. He didn't doubt that each looked upon another victim of the Beast. He didn't want to look... but a perverse curiosity overcame him. He headed to the next window... and quickly turned away. It was worse then Fire - for on THIS planet, the inhabitants had not been lucky enough to escape. "No..." he whispered. 

"Oooh... more to see...!" Jewelia said, and headed towards the window Sternum had just backed away from. 

"No... Jewelia! You do not want to see it!" He replied. 

"_I_ will decide what I want to see and what I DON'T want to see!!" She answered, and headed towards the window. 

Sternum grabbed her arm, "Trust me... you do not want to see this!" he answered. 

"LET ME GO!!" Jewelia shouted, and pulled out of his grasp. 

"JEWELIA!" Sternum called out, but it was too late. She was staring through the window. 

Jewelia stood unmoving, shock filling her body. She began to shake her head, "No..." she gasped, "No... no no no no... NOOOOOO!" she screamed, and began hitting the window, "NO!" she cried out, "NO!" 

The scene before her was too overwhelming. She was looking upon what was once a beautiful planet. What was once so filled with life! What was once a place she called home. 

"Crystal!" she cried. It was dead. Dead, like Planet Fire. The mountains, once topped with silver, were now tainted with dark stains. The rivers, once the colour of sapphire, were now black voids. 

The bodies, once filled with life, were now scarred and blackened by death. 

"Jewelia..." Sternum began, sympathetically, "I am sorry you had to see this..." 

"No." Jewelia turned to him, eyes wild with anger, and hatred, "It's not YOU who should be sorry! It's the BEAST! IT will die! _I_ will kill it." 

"Jewelia..." Sternum began. 

But Jewelia wasn't listening. She was beyond that, "It will die... yes. It will!! If I have to kill MYSELF to do it, THE BEAST WILL DIE!!" She screamed. 

Jewelia's enraged threat echoed through the corridor and up through the air ducts - to the ears of the Beast itself. 

[EPISODE SEVEN][1]

[Go back to the fanfic page][2]

   [1]: S3ep7.html
   [2]: MainframeFanfic.html



	7. Episode 7

_Shadow Raiders - Episode 3.7:_

THE BEAST REVEALED 

By: Elektra

"Jewelia! Sternum!! Answer me!!" Graveheart shouted into the comm. All he received back was static. He tried tweaking the controls, but to no avail. 

"They are GONE, Graveheart, " he heard Jade's voice through the speakers. 

"But..." Graveheart started, then stared out his view screen, "LOOK OUT!!" he shouted as a wave of null matter headed towards the Alliance, "Evasive maneuvers!!" 

"I suggest we STOP concerning ourselves with Jewelia and Sternum. There will be time to mourn AFTER we have defeated the Beast!" Cryos spoke through his monitor. 

Everyone understood all too well. They watched solemnly as the pieces of the shuttles that had not evaded the last Beast attack floated dead in space. 

***

"Sternum to Alliance! Come in Alliance!" Sternum tried to get the comm system in Jewelia's shuttle to work, "It's no use..." he said, "the shields around the Beast Planet are too strong. Nothing is getting through..." 

"Who CARES!!" Jewelia shouted. "We have to find the Beast!" 

"Jewelia... do you honestly think that YOU could harm it after all our weapons proved utterly useless?" 

"I HAVE to find it!! It will PAY for what it did to my PLANET!" She snapped as she pulled a gun out of the Arrowhead's supply bags. She threw one to Sternum, who quickly caught it. 

Before Sternum could protest Jewelia's plans, a door about 10 feet away slid open. The door lead to a dark corridor - an escape from the current chamber the two were in, "Well..." Sternum began, "Looks like it heard you..." 

***

Lamprey looked through her view screen as she saw the Bone man and the Crystal woman make their way through the open door, "One last survivor of Planet Crystal. The Beast will make a snack out of you!" 

***

"We had better think of something, and fast!" Jade shouted to her Quarriors and whoever else would listen, "We are loosing too many fighters!" 

"All the pieces must fit into place. Only then will the Monster machine be destroyed!" Tekla said through the speakers, "Quick!! Bring the Planets in line with one another!" 

"Are you crazy, Tekla?? The gravitational pull of each planet will..." Jade began. 

"TRUST me, highness!! I KNOW what I'm doing!" Tekla insisted. 

"Listen to her..." a voice entered everyone's head. 

"ZUMA!" Jade said, "You can hear her?? But aren't you on Planet Sand?" 

"That we may be, Rock Queen... but we are very aware of what is going on around us. Please... do what she says. The kindred understand what Tekla is getting at..." 

"I hope they DO, Zuma... or else all our planets will be destroyed!" Jade replied. She sent the order down to Planet Rock to align itself beside Planet Ice. 

King Cryos followed Jade's example, as did Zuma, and Femur. 

Slowly, each planet began to align... 

***

Another door opened in front of Sternum and Jewelia, and they hesitantly went through it. "I have a feeling we are walking into a trap, Jewelia!" 

"Then we'll turn the tables! The Beast won't know what hit it!" 

Sternum looked at Jewelia, and shook his head, "_I have a feeling SHE won't know what hit HER before this is over!_" 

***

As Ice, Sand, Rock, and Bone began to align, a strange light could be seen emanating from each planet. It was as if an extra shield had appeared out of nowhere. "What is going on?" Jade asked, not really expecting to get an answer. 

Suddenly, the extra shield surrounding the planets stretched outward and engulfed the planet beside it. It was almost as if all the planets were slowly becoming one. 

"By the great Glacier!" Cryos gasped through the speakers, "What on ICE is going on?!?" 

"I don't know, King Cryos... but I hope it works!!" Pyrus replied on the comm. 

Fermur's voice became serious for a moment, "So do I, kid... so do I!" 

***

One more door opened in front of Sternum and Jewelia... and they went through. 

"Where ARE we??" Sternum asked as he looked around. 

A painfully bright light illuminated the room Sternum and Jewelia had just entered. The walls were covered with wires, the floor a cold metal. The room seemed to go on forever. 

"You have entered the chamber of the BEAST!" a voice said, followed by a laugh. 

"Who is THAT?" Sternum asked. 

Lamprey took form in front of her visitors, "I am Lamprey, loyal servant of the Beast!" 

"I have heard of you, Lamprey!" Sternum said, "My friends filled me in on everything the Beast has been up to lately!" 

"Your friends?? That pathetic Alliance?" Lamprey laughed, "We will be rid of them soon enough!" 

No sooner did Lamprey say that, then the room shook. Or was it just the room? 

"What was THAT?" Sternum gasped. 

Lamprey looked frightened for a moment, "No! They couldn't have!!" she gasped. 

"Where is the Beast?!" Jewelia demanded, aiming her gun at Lamprey. 

The room shook once again, and the wires along the walls began to smoke. 

Lamprey turned to Jewelia, and looked at the gun, "That won't work on me, Crystal woman! Try it!" 

Jewelia did so... only to see the gun's energy sucked INTO Lamprey. Jewelia swore angrily. 

Lamprey laughed, "You want to see the Beast?? I will take you to it! It will be the LAST thing you see!" 

***

The Alliance watched, eyes wide, as the energy surrounding their planets joined and sent a blue wave towards the Beast Planet. It shook the Monster machine and caused visible damage. 

"If only we had all the pieces..." Tekla said. "It would have been destroyed!" 

"At least it's damaged," Graveheart answered. "But... can we EVER destroy it?" 

***

Lamprey lead her prisoners to a large door, "Go right in. I am sure the Beast would love to meet you!" 

Slowly, Sternum opened the door. The room was barely lit. As he walked in, he could see an object at the other end. 

The object was the size of a large building. It was covered with metal, and Sternum noticed the glow of exposed wire snaking up and around it. "A building within the planet?!" he gasped. 

Lamprey laughed, "THIS, Bone man, is THE BEAST!" 

It was only then that Sternum saw the alleged building MOVE. 

Suddenly, a harsh sound assaulted his ears. It was like static... and voices. Many many voices. At first, he thought it was simply noise - then realized that IT was SPEAKING. 

"Servant..." it said, "Why are we falling prey to Alliance fire?" 

Lamprey humbled herself before the speaking object, "I do not know, Master! I do not know what possible weapon the Alliance could have that is capable of damaging us!" 

Before the Beast could respond, Jewelia screamed... and charged at it - firing her gun. Again, the room shook. The PLANET shook. "You destroyed my PEOPLE!" Jewelia shouted, not seeming to be aware of anything going on around her, "I will now destroy YOU!" She fired at the exposed wires covering the Beast. Sparks spewed forth. 

Lamprey went after Jewelia, but she was no match for Jewelia's wrath. Lamprey was knocked out by the butt of the gun. 

"What are you doing? CRAZY WOMAN! Do you not SEE what you are trying to FIGHT?!" Sternum asked. 

"See???" Jewelia replied, "Then let there be light!" She fired the gun against the wall, hitting more wires. The sparks lit up the room... and for once they got a good look at the Beast. 

Yes. It was as large as a building. But there was more. It had hands. It had a face. It had legs. 

Sternum remembered the descriptions of the Earth people given to him by Zuma after she had tapped into Earth's tragic history. Looking at the Beast, Sternum realized the most tragic thing of all. The Earth people had NOT been destroyed by a faceless monster created by other machines... but by a monster created in their own form. 

The Earth had been destroyed ... by its grand-child. 

[EPISODE EIGHT][1]

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   [1]: S3ep8.html
   [2]: MainframeFanfic.html



	8. Episode 8

_Shadow Raiders - Episode 3.8:_

THE END OF A PLANET

By: Elektra

Another wave from the aligned planets knocked out most of the Beast Armada. A cheer went up from all fighters. 

"Ok... let's not get ahead of ourselves. We still haven't been able to destroy the Beast!" Graveheart said from the cockpit of his shuttle. 

"But... look! We've damaged it! Pyrus replied through the speakers. 

"Still, Graveheart is right. We have yet to destroy the Beast planet..." Cryos answered, "and... I do not know if we even CAN!" 

***

Jewelia fired her weapon at the Beast. She was so blinded by her anger that she didn't notice the hand of the Monster machine come down towards her. It picked her up as if she was merely an annoying insect, then tossed her aside. She landed hard against the wall, and slumped to the ground. 

"Jewelia...!" Sternum shouted, and quickly knelt beside her. 

"I ... will kill myself... first... before I let it... live!" She gasped as she tried to bite down the pain. 

"You won't have to kill yourself! IT will kill you FIRST!!" Lamprey answered from the ground a few feet away. She slowly sat up, "You will regret hitting me, Crystal woman!" 

"There are only two things that I have regretted in my life! Hitting you is not one of them!" Jewelia replied, and shakily got to her feet. 

The Planet shook again. Wires broke away from the wall, and hung lose - sparks flying from their unprotected ends. 

The Beast picked Lamprey up in its large hand. "You have let us down, servant. We must punish you now..." 

"No!" Lamprey cried, "Please... no!" 

The Beast did not let up, and began to squeeze. Lamprey screamed. 

Sternum and Jewelia watched in horror as Lamprey's body began to glow. The Beast's 'fingers' dug into her flesh, absorbing any energy from her into Itself. 

"THAT'S what it does! It ingests the energy from it's victims!" Sternum said. "_THAT was why Planets Fire and Crystal looked as they did. All life. All ENERGY had been burnt away and sucked dry by the Beast!_" 

After what seemed like an eternity, the Beast let Lamprey slip from it's fingers. She fell to the ground, limp. Sternum went up to her... but it was too late. She was gone. 

The Beast then reached for Sternum. 

***

"What on Rock...?" Jade muttered as she noticed a strange blip on her console. She studied it, and realized what it was, "They're ALIVE?" 

"What? Who's alive?" Cryos asked through the monitors. 

"Jewelia and Sternum!! Look at your sensors! The Beast Planet is damaged and its shields have weakened. We can locate the Arrowhead Jewelia piloted. It is in one piece!' Jade answered. 

"Then let's go get them!!" Pyrus said. 

"No, child! We cannot go in there! They will have to find a way out THEMSELVES!" Jade answered. 

***

"STERNUM!" Jewelia shouted. She jumped into action and pushed him out of the way. The Beast grabbed HER instead. It hesitated for only a moment... then began Its 'meal'. Jewelia screamed. 

Sternum jumped to his feet and quickly went to the leg of the Beast. He began tearing the wires apart with his claws. 

"You will regret challenging us..." the Beast spoke. 

"I said... there are... only... two... things ... I ... regret... " Jewelia gasped as her energy was drained away. 

"We do not care. THIS will be your third regret!" It answered. 

"No... my regrets... are.... " Jewelia tried to speak through the pain, "Killing... my ... Mother..." She said, then screamed again as pain racked her body. 

"I will short circuit you, BEAST!" Sternum shouted, and climbed up the leg, ripping at more and more wires. Again, the planet shook. Sternum eyed a loose, sparking wire hanging dangerously close to the Beast's shoulder. 

"And ... letting... _him_... go...." Jewelia finished. 

Sternum briefly wondered whom she was speaking of, but couldn't concern himself with that at the moment. 

The former Emperor of Bone quickly climbed his way to the Beast's shoulder. Now, it was the BEAST'S turn to feel pain! He grabbed the loose wire, and jammed it into the Beast's arm. Sparks flew forth, and the hand holding Jewelia spasmodically opened and closed. 

Sternum jumped onto the Beast's knee and caught Jewelia as she slipped through Its fingers. He quickly leapt to the ground. 

Sparks began spewing from the Beast's arm, and the wires began to burn. Slowly, the arm became detached from the body, and clattered to the ground. Sternum barely jumped out of the way on time. He and Jewelia landed hard on the cold metal. 

Sternum instantly jumped to his feet as the planet shook once more. Around him, the metal walls slowly began bending. "Shields down. Shields down." The Beast said, "Destruction eminent." 

"GOOD!" Sternum replied, and grabbed another sparking wire, and crammed it into the Beast's leg. The leg began short-circuiting the same way the arm had. He grabbed Jewelia's gun from the ground, and fired at the sparks. The weapon's fire ignited a flame that spread out over the exposed wires on the metal creature. 

"We had better get out of here!!" Sternum said as he threw a semi-conscious Jewelia over his shoulder, "Before we explode along WITH it!" 

***

"FLAMES!!" Cryos shouted as he looked out the view screen on the Aurora, "There are FLAMES coming from WITHIN the Beast planet!" 

The flames coming forth from the Beast Planet's mouth began to consume the large metal claw. 

"We didn't do THAT!" Jade said. "Something _inside_ did!" 

Suddenly, a piece of the Beast Planet began to break away... and with the piece, something came out. Something --- the size of Planet Fire. 

***

Sternum threw the semi-conscious Jewelia into the back of the Rock shuttle, and turned the Arrowhead towards the opening. "We are getting out of here!" he said, and brought the shuttle up to full speed. "NOW!" 

***

Planet Fire floated dead in space... until the blue glow around Planets Sand, Ice, Rock, and Bone, surrounded it. The glow pulled it into alignment with the others... and the planet began to come to life. 

"Planet Fire is burning again!!" Pyrus gasped as he watched from the view screen of his shuttle. 

A stronger wave hit the Beast Planet, chipping away another piece - and freeing another planet. The new Planet was engulfed by the strange glow, and was again brought in line with the others. 

"Planet TEK!" Tekla cried. 

The energy waves became stronger. 

As more and more pieces of the Beast Planet were chipped away, more and more of its victims were freed. Each new planet aligned with the others, and each time the waves became stronger. 

The Beast Planet was dying. 

***

Sternum saw the ball of fire coming towards the back of the shuttle, and floored it. "I refuse to die with the BEAST!" He hissed. 

Finally, the smoke in front of him cleared and he was able to see the familiar darkness of space - and the new weapon the united planets of the alliance had made. 

***

All the pieces had fit into place, just as the Earth people had said. Rock, Fire, Ice, Bone, Tek, Water, Sand, Crystal, and Reptizar were united. 

With one last wave of energy, the Beast planet went down in flames. 

[EPISODE NINE][1]

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   [1]: S3ep9.html
   [2]: MainframeFanfic.html



	9. Episode 9

_Shadow Raiders - Episode 3.9:_

AND SO WE GO ON

By: Elektra

**ICE SHIP AURORA**

King Cryos called down to Planet Ice, "How are things down there? Is there any damage?" 

"Uh.. sire.. no.. there is no damage. But..." the voice stopped. 

"What is it, man? Speak up...!" Cryos demanded. 

"Perhaps you should come see this, sire... It really is unexplainable!" 

***

**PLANET ROCK**

"By the crown!" Jade gasped as she looked upon her planet. In the distance, the mountains were topped with Ice, and a few farther ones even spewed forth lava. Along a once dry canyon, water flowed freely... and moss, similar to that of Planet Bone, covered the Rocks. 

"Lady Jade!! Look what the Miners found!" A Quarrior called to her. 

Jade turned to him, "What is it?" 

He held out something shiny. Something that seemed to gather the light from all around. It was ... a crystal! 

**PLANET BONE**

Femur could not believe his eyes as he drank Ice water, and watched as Pelvus cooked food over an open flame. The shape of the planet had not changed in the least... but so much had been added to it! No more borrowing from other planets! It was all HERE! All at his beck and call! 

**PLANET SAND**

Zuma and her kindred looked over their planet. What was once desert began to grow with green from the life-giving water that flowed through the creeks. THIS is what the Earth people had intended. All planets were to unite - and each were to be given gifts from one another. Everything was as it should have been so many centuries ago. 

***

**PLANET ICE - INFIRMARY**

Jewelia slowly came too, "What...happened?" she asked. 

Sternum stepped away from the doctor he was speaking too, "You are going to live. You will be fine after you rest." 

Jewelia sat up in the hospital bed, "I don't WANT to live!" she shouted. "Why should I live when the rest of my planet is DEAD?!" 

"Ahhh... but it is NOT dead, my dear Jewelia!" Sternum held out something to her, and she took it. 

"A... diamond?!" she gasped, "But where?" 

"From the mines on Planet Rock! I have no doubt that the Ice people will be able to find quite a few of these in their own caves." 

"But my people..." Jewelia began. 

Sternum shook his head, "Very few escaped the Beast..." he replied. "What you did not see on the dead Planet Crystal were the caves that some of the inhabitants had been lucky enough to hide in. But... there are very few of your people left. 1000 at the most.." 

Jewelia hung her head, "1000 left... from a planet that was home to 4 billion!" 

"I am sorry, Jewelia..." 

Jewelia looked at him, eyes narrowed, "Of course you are!! But why should YOU care? YOUR people still EXIST!" 

Sternum shook his head, "No... MY people died when the Beast consumed the Prison Planet. It was such a small planet that nothing exists of it any longer. It was not found in the debris of the Beast Planet..." 

"But Planet Bone..." Jewelia began. 

"Is no longer my home... " Sternum interrupted, 

Jewelia shook her head, "Planet Crystal would never welcome me back after what I've done... " then she smiled, "It seems we're both people without a planet..." 

Sternum raised an eyebrow, "It is disturbing that we have something in common after all..." 

***

**ELSEWHERE**

So, readers, the story continues, but not here. It continues in the hearts and minds of others like myself. It continues in our imaginations. 

Who am I, you ask? Why, I am merely a spectator! Merely a story-teller. 

Like so many of you, I am merely a fan! 

Elektra 

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   [1]: MainframeFanfic.html



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